


Affairs of the Heart

by blueboxesandtrafficcones



Series: Hardy Investigations [1]
Category: Broadchurch
Genre: (the cheating is part of the case), Alternate Universe - 1940s, Case Fic, Cheating, F/M, Private Investigators, mature themes, oh yeah, yes it IS a 1940's PI AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-04
Updated: 2019-05-12
Packaged: 2019-11-09 09:48:38
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,827
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17999534
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blueboxesandtrafficcones/pseuds/blueboxesandtrafficcones
Summary: Broadchurch, 1948.  Hardy Investigations run by Alec Hardy and Ellie Miller investigates any manner of private issues.Mrs. Mark Latimer hires Hardy Investigations to find out if her husband is having an affair, requiring some duplicity and ingenuity to find the truth as they go undercover.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to my new series! We follow Hardy and Miller as they run a private investigation agency in Broadchurch after WWII.
> 
> There is a mix of case work and personal life - including intimate scenes.
> 
> Thank you to stupidsatsuma for beta'ing for me!
> 
> New chapters will post every other Sunday starting March 3rd.

_1943_

Ellie hummed to herself, working on The Daily Telegraph’s crossword of the day.  The office was silent, everyone but the Brigadier off to lunch, though as his personal secretary she was required to remain at her desk in case of emergency.  Still, she got what distance she could by moving to the small table under the window right next to her desk.

Her back to the main room, she heard footsteps approach. A glance over her shoulder showed a solitary man, the pin on his lapel marking him as a permitted visitor.  Seemingly paying him no attention while still being on alert, she continued diligently at her puzzle until the footsteps stopped next to her desk.  After a moment he sighed heavily, and she grit her teeth.

Compromising by continuing to focus on the paper in front of her while wheeling her chair back to her main desk, she didn’t look up as she asked, “Yes?”

“I’m here to see the Brig.”

“Then knock.”  Letting out an unlady-like grunt of victory, she penciled in the answer that was the key to the whole thing.

“Aren’t you the secretary?”  Scottish, then, but still of no interest to her.

“I’m at lunch.”

“I didn’t realize rations had gotten so poor.  Don't blame you for playing with it first - hopefully that part's satisfying at least.”

Her brow furrowed as she finally looked up.  He was only a few years older than her, and might even qualify for handsome after a week of sleep and solid food.  Tall and thin as a rail, unkempt chestnut hair drooped as much as the rest of him.  He wasn’t smiling, a sour expression on his face, but his brown eyes were alight with mischief and after a moment she got the joke.

“You’re telling me, last week we were fine dining on Vanity Fair.”

“Better luck than us, we’ve just got The Mirror.”

“My sympathies.”

His lips didn’t move but the corners of his eyes crinkled.  “What’re you doing?”

“Crossword.”  Finishing the last clue, she held it up for his inspection with a smirk.  “With everything going on, I don’t mind a bit of mindless entertainment.”

The man nodded, eyes cutting towards the door.  “Is he in?”

Ellie pursed her lips and gave him a final perusal before standing.  “One moment.”  Rapping on the door and waiting until he answered, she poked her head into the office.  “Someone to see you, sir.”

“Send him in, thank you Mrs. Miller,” the Brigadier boomed, leaning back in his chair.

“Go ahead,” Ellie gestured to the man, who nodded on his way past.

Pulling out a novel, she promptly forgot all about him.

* * *

Forty minutes later the door opened and the two men came to stand beside her desk. In the middle of typing a letter, she took the time to finish her sentence before looking up.  She smiled politely at them, now all business.  “Yes, sir?”

“Pack your desk.”

The ground fell out from beneath her, a dull roaring sounding in her ears.  “What?”  She glanced between the two helplessly.  “I don’t- Sir?”

“Pack your things, Mrs. Miller,” the Brigadier said, far too kindly for someone firing her- her mind ran rampant with sudden worry for her husband.  Had something happened?  He was only down in London, but that was no guarantee of safety with the bombings every night.

Maggie from the next desk, watching with wide eyes, quickly produced two cardboard boxes for her.  It didn’t take long to pack, only a few personal items and picture frames, all of which fit in the first box.

The Brigadier had disappeared back into his office by the time she was ready, but the other man still stood waiting, and her mind whirled.  He’d seemed almost amused by her banter; had he had her sacked for insubordination anyway?  She numbly followed him out to a waiting taxi, climbing in and leaning forward to give her home address when he slid in next to her, barking out an address.

“Excuse me!”  Worry and fear turned to rage, and she scowled at his presumption.  “What is going on?”

“Not now.”  He barely spared her a glance, peering out the window and giving the occasional direction.  “Just… be quiet.”

Glaring at him, she huddled the box of her things closer on her lap.  After ten miles and a dozen twists and turns, they pulled up to a gated driveway with soldiers standing guard.

“Here,” he directed, opening the door and climbing out.  When Ellie didn’t move, from stubbornness or fear she couldn’t say, he sighed heavily and leaned back inside.  “Come with me.”

Ellie swallowed harshly, carrying her things past the armed soldiers with a wary look.  They seemed to know the man, nodding at him and letting him through a door without a word, and they started up the driveway in silence.

Dressed for office work, she had to almost trot to keep up.  After a moment his pace slowed enough that she could walk with dignity.  She tried peppering him with questions, but a dark glare silenced her.

They marched into a building, Ellie keeping her head high even as she took in her surroundings.  Once a manor house, it was now a busy property filled with buildings, people hurrying to and fro.  She was led to the main house, through the hall to the kitchens then down to the basement.  Fear growing, she started to wonder if there had been some mistake.  She handled plenty of confidential information in her role as the Brigadier’s secretary, but surely they didn’t think she could possibly be some sort of spy or traitor, could they?

The cellar had been transformed into a handful of smaller rooms, each with an armed guard outside the door.  Swallowing harshly and still carrying her things, her steps slowed as they neared a room with an open door.  Once inside she saw just a table and chair, a small reading light, piles of papers, and several pencils.

“Sit,” the man directed, and she obeyed.

“I think there’s been a misunderstanding-” she started, but he shook his head.

“There’s plenty of crosswords to keep you entertained,” he said coolly.  “Do some of those.”  Then he walked out, slamming the door shut behind him.

Taking a minute to center and calm herself, she set her things on the floor next to the chair.  Testing the door showed it was locked from the outside, and even if it wasn’t, she had no plan to get past the guard.  Returning to the table, she pulled the first pile towards her.  Sure enough they were crosswords, and with a final, nervous glance at the door, she set pencil to paper.

* * *

Two hours later the door opened, the man walking in to find Ellie with her feet on the table, reading her romance novel.

“Did you finish any?” he asked, giving her feet a pointed look before shuffling through the papers.

“All of them.  I liked the coded ones.”  Halfway through the increasingly-more difficult puzzles she’d realized what was happening, and now was casually confident, sure of herself and the work she’d done.  She didn’t look up from the book.

“Not bad.”  The man studied a few of the pages, tilting his head.  “Missed a few, but your answers still made sense.  Well done.”

“Thank you.”  Replacing her bookmark and removing her legs from the table, she crossed her arms and leaned forward, the picture of poise and determination.  “Now start talking.”

“Mrs. Miller, how would you feel about doing more to help the war effort?”

“Anything for king and country.”

He perched himself on the table, arms folded, and gave her a thorough look-over before nodding.

“I’m Alec Hardy.  Welcome to Bletchley Park.”


	2. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back! We now jump forward five years to 1948, where the remainder of our story will take place. Our fearsome duo have long since left Bletchley Park (or “BP”) and set up shop as private detectives in Broadchurch.

_September 1948_

Ellie brought the tea tray into the sitting room, setting it on the coffee table in front of the prospective client.  The woman had been there almost ten minutes now, and done hardly more than weep quietly into a handkerchief.  She was tucked into the corner of the sofa, curled in on herself, while Alec sat in the armchair across from her, watching with a blank expression only Ellie knew was panicked.

“Here, love,” she said quietly, pushing a teacup towards the woman.  “Have some tea and tell us what’s wrong.”

The woman blew her nose, finding a clean corner of the handkerchief to wipe her eyes.  “Thank you, and I do apologize.  I only…”  Her lower lip wobbled, but she took a deep breath and visibly pulled herself together.

Ellie settled on the sofa herself, giving her some space as she exchanged glances with Alec, who nodded for her to take the lead.  After more than two years running Hardy Investigations together, they’d become a well-oiled machine.

Once the woman had taken a few fortifying sips of tea, Ellie smiled kindly at her.  “Shall we start with your name?”

“Latimer,” the woman stared into her cup.  “Mrs. Mark Latimer.”

Ellie waited patiently, and when Mrs. Latimer looked up, raised her eyebrows.

“Beth,” she amended.

“It’s lovely to meet you, I’m Mrs. Miller and this is Mr. Hardy.”  They’d introduced themselves when she arrived, but Ellie figured it was better to reinforce now that she was somewhat calm.  “Why don’t you tell us what’s brought you here today?”

Mrs. Latimer set her teacup down with a clatter, folding her hands so tightly in her lap the digits turned white.  “I believe my husband- Can I trust your discretion?”

“Absolutely,” Ellie and Alec spoke in unison.  “What you say stays with us,” she continued firmly.

“I suspect that there is another woman,” Mrs. Latimer hung her head.  “He comes and goes at all hours.  At first I dismissed it as part of his work- he owns a plumbing company- but… but sometimes he smells of perfume.  And, he’s changed in his attitude towards me.  Not violent, just… distant.  Can you help me?”

Another quickly exchanged glance showed they were on the same page.  “We can help you, but our time is not cheap,” Alec warned.  “You would also be liable to reimburse any expenses incurred during the investigation.”

“I understand.”

“Mrs. Latimer?” Ellie drew her attention away from Alec.  “To be clear, what exactly are you looking for from us?”

“How do you mean?”

She smiled kindly.  “Knowing what you plan to do with the information may change our approach.  Are you looking for confirmation, or proof?  If so, to what extent?  Some wives come to us just to know for sure, while others intend to use our efforts to obtain a divorce.”

“Oh.”  Mrs. Latimer looked surprised, blinking down at her hands for a few moments before meeting Ellie’s eye again.  “Irrefutable proof, I suppose.  I hadn’t thought that far ahead.”

“This is not a decision to be made lightly,” Alec said sternly.  “You may change your mind and cancel the investigation at any point, but will still be liable for any expenses.”

“I understand,” the woman repeated.  “Is there some sort of form I sign?”

Ellie stood, going to the counter where she had a boilerplate contract waiting.  “Please, take your time to read through this.  Sign when you’re ready, then we can discuss the particulars of your husband’s schedule and personal comportment.  We’ll be in the kitchen when you’re ready.”  Laying the paperwork down in front of Mrs. Latimer, she smiled one last time before retreating, Alec right behind her.

* * *

“What do you think?” he murmured, once they had slid the sliding door separating the rooms mostly shut.

Ellie shrugged, leaning back against the wall as she peered through the crack.  “Poor woman.  Not the first and not the last, though.  Not even just this week.”

“We do seem to be getting a lot of similar business lately.”  Alec stood just across from her, leaning back on the edge of the counter with his arms crossed.  “I don’t like the trend.”

“Business is business.  Men have been unfaithful for thousands of years – it’s only that now women are able to do something about it.  Or do you think it’s a God-given right to sleep with whomever you choose?” she raised an eyebrow, smirking.

He huffed, rolling his eyes.  “Of course not – doesn’t seem right that men and women should be held to different marriage vows.  You know I think that.  Just… what’s it going to do the world with so many children raised by divorced parents?”

“I rather think they’ll grow up happier than watching their mothers suffer in silence.”

“Fair enough.”

They felt into silence, waiting for their cue.

“When you were overseas…”

“Yes?”  Alec looked up from where he’d been studying the floor, watching her carefully.

Ellie licked her lips, meeting his gaze.  “Did you ever…”

“Ever what?”

She jerked her head in the direction of the sitting room.  “You know.”

“Ellie.”

“Were you ever unfaithful?  To Tess, I mean?”

His jaw clenched, eyes narrowing.  “No.  I would never, not to anyone.  D’you really think me capable?”

“No,” she promised, pushing off the wall to step closer, “it just made me think… Sorry.”

Alec relaxed, tugging her into his arms and hugging her close.  “I’m not Joe,” he whispered in her ear.  “Doesn’t matter how far apart we are.  I never would.”

“Mrs. Miller?” Mrs. Latimer’s timid voice called then, and Ellie leaned back to straighten her dress.

“C’mon, client’s waiting.”  And she swept out of the kitchen without a backwards glance.

* * *

Ellie closed the door behind Mrs. Latimer with a sigh, returning to the sofa and sinking down across from Alec.  “Poor woman.”

“The most we can offer her is the truth.”  He didn’t look up from the notepad he was scribbling on, already working out a plan.  “D’you think there’s anything she’s not telling us we ought to know?”

“No.”  She considered the miserable, timid woman for a moment.  “Don’t think so.  Suppose it’s possible.  I think we got most of it out of her, at least.”

Alec shook his head.  “I’m going to have Craig doing a little digging on both of them before I do anything else.  Don’t want him to turn out to be a bloody war hero or something.”

“You’re a war hero,” she reminded him tartly.

“Aye, and you.  No one’s to know though, yeah?  I’d rather know now is all.”

Kicking off her heels, she curled her legs up under her as she leaned her elbow on the arm of the sofa, watching him write.  “We always do checks.”

“Just feels like there’s more to this.”  His eyes darted up to the clock above her head.  “You can head home if you like.  There’s no others today, are there?”

“No.  First thing tomorrow though.  You can go see Craig tomorrow afternoon, I’ve that worker’s compensation case.”

Alec looked up at her, brow furrowing.  “Which one?”

She huffed, throwing a pillow in his direction which he darted effortlessly.  “The welder who can’t stand more than ten minutes but’s been seen playing footie on the beach.”

“Be careful with him, he may not take kindly to losing his benefits,” he warned.  “You should take backup.”

“I will,” Ellie rolled her eyes, “but I’ll also have my boys.  I’ll be near invisible, you know that.  We’ll be fine.”

“If you say so.”

“How long’ll you be?”

“Another hour?” he guessed, frowning at his notepad.  “And I’ll be taking the Peterson file home, I’ve still got the report to write up and he’s coming at eleven tomorrow.”

She nodded, shifting on the sofa until she was laying down on her side, eyes fluttering closed.  “You can drive me home then.”

And she drifted off.

* * *

The next morning saw two new clients, one a missing persons case and the other a contested inheritance.  They took on both cases, though Ellie hid a grimace when she penciled them into the ledger and onto the calendar.  Both were filling up, which was good from a business perspective but didn’t leave them much time for themselves.

Alec escorted Mr. Peterson out of the office as Ellie recorded his final payment.  “I’m sorry for his loss, but that was a windfall case,” she commented as he shut the door.  “Thirty quid for a five minute phone call?  I almost feel bad for taking his money.”

“Shush,” he rolled his eyes, settling at the chair next to the desk.  “It was fair pay for fair work.  He insisted on paying the full thing anyway.  Don’t borrow trouble.”

“Seems a little hypocritical coming from you.”

“How many open cases do we have?”  Graceful subject changes were hardly Alec’s forte, but she let it slide with only a smirk.

“Four active, another five waiting on information back, two more waiting for a report, and that’s five now taken but unstarted.”

Alec groaned.  “How many each?”

“Six I can handle on my own, which leaves eight for you plus the reports.  Two of those eight are likely out-of-towners.”

“Whose idea was this private detective agency anyway?”

Ellie shut the books and turned to face him, arching an eyebrow at his pout.  “You said- and I quote- ‘I’m never working for another person in my fucking life’.  End quote.  You’d had your fill of working for ‘the man’, remember?  And I happen to think you made the right decision.”

“Don’t fancy a man in uniform?”  He leaned forward, sprawling over her desk to grin charmingly up at her.  “Bet you’d love me dressed as a copper.  Liked my MP uniform well enough.”

“Don’t flatter yourself.”  She patted his cheek.  “The only single man under forty at BP and you still could barely get a date.  Says quite a bit.”

A knock on the door cut him off, and they both turned to see his daughter and her sons waving on the other side of the glass, the dog sitting beside them wagging his tail.

Ellie grabbed the beach bag she had prepared and met them at the door, letting Daisy in to say hello to her father as she picked up her younger son.  “Well then Freddie, ready for some fun at the beach?”

“Yes, Mummy!  Tom promises to play footie with me, don’tcha Tom?”

Tom merely grunted, nodding his head at Alec who waved back.  At fifteen he was already an adult in many ways, forced to grow up before his time as a result of the war.  She thanked God every day he’d been too young to fight; too many others hadn’t been so lucky.

“Right, let’s go!”

* * *

Ellie watched fondly as her children played together, the dog racing between them in a bid to be amongst the most action.  Tom was instructing his brother on a few tricks to try with the ball, and she was snapping alternative pictures of them and the man behind them.

Early that year the government had taken over all payouts for workers’ compensation, and almost immediately Hardy Investigations had received several requests to investigate suspected fraudulent claimants.  Of the five cases they’d had, three had proved legitimate and two false; she suspected Mr. Mulligan would soon be in the second category.  His claim was that he’d been so injured by a fall that he couldn’t stand for more than ten minutes at a time, but reports had suggested he had quite a few kick-arounds for a man in his condition.

Having spent the last forty minutes watching him run and play without stopping or a single wince of pain, she suspected he’d soon lose his benefits.

Snapping one last picture, she almost jumped at hearing her name.

“Mrs. Miller?”

Spinning on her heel, it took her a moment to place the woman standing in front of her.  “Mrs. Latimer?”

Today the woman stood tall and proud, a half-smile lighting her face.  She looked younger than she had seemed yesterday, full of life, a far cry from the sobbing woman they’d met.  “Hello.  I’m sorry, I don’t mean to intrude, but I saw you standing there…”

“Oh, yes.”  Ellie tucked the camera away in her bag, smiling brightly.  “My boys.”  She waved towards them, and they paused their game long enough to wave back.  “I didn’t ask, do you…”

“Three,” she smiled tremulously.  “Chloe, Danny, and Lizzie.”

“Hello!” a toddler Ellie hadn’t seen until then chirped, peeking out from behind her mother’s legs.  “‘M Lizzie.”

Ellie crouched down to be at eye level with the little girl, grinning.  “Hello Lizzie, it’s very nice to meet you.”

Lizzie smiled around the thumb in her mouth, giggling and pressing closer to Mrs. Latimer’s leg.

When Ellie rose there were faint tears on the other woman’s face.

“You can see why I hesitated,” she confided, and Ellie nodded.

“Certainly.  But you must take care of yourself as well.”

Mrs. Latimer sighed, glancing around.  “May I ask…”

“Yes?”

“What does your husband think of your work?”

After four years, the thought of Joe no longer ached as it once had.  “I don’t know.  He died in the Blitz.”

Mrs. Latimer’s eyes went wide, hand flying up to cover her mouth.  “Oh!  Oh, I’m terribly sorry.”

“Not at all,” Ellie promised.  “Please, don’t worry.”

“Still…” The woman shifted her stance, glancing out towards the ocean.  “Please accept my apology.”

“Of course.”

“Mummy!” little Lizzie whispered loudly, causing the women to laugh.

“I must go.  Um, I suppose I hope to hear from you soon,” Mrs. Latimer said, a cloud gathering over her head.  “It was lovely to see you.”

“And you as well.  Goodbye, Lizzie!”

“Goodbye!”  Deeming the social niceties completed, the toddler began tugging her mother in the direction of the water.  “Mummy, s’imming, s’imming!”

Ellie watched them go with a heavy heart, feeling for the children whose lives were likely to change soon.  To her, there had been too much of that lately.

“Mummy, look!” Fred cried, and she turned to watch him balance the football between his shoulder blades.

“Well done Freddie!” she clapped, putting the Latimer family firmly out of her mind.

Tomorrow and the start of their investigation would come soon enough.


	3. Chapter 2

Ellie opened the sliding door with a flourish, falling easily into the simpering ‘woe is me’ routine that never failed.  “Oh, thank you so much!”

“Of course ma’am, what seems to be the issue?”  Mark Latimer was decently handsome, early thirties with an easy grin and kind eyes.

Didn’t mean he wasn’t stepping out.

“This way.”  She led him through her ‘home’ to the overflowing toilet, fluttering her hands and acting as sympathetically pitiful as she could.  “Can you help?”

“Absolutely, let me see.”  Setting his toolbox on the corner of the tub, he crouched by the toilet and reached behind it, twisting the shutoff valve until the water stopped.  “No gentleman caller to be of assistance?”

Ellie pouted, leaning against the doorframe and watching him work.  “My boyfriend must have clogged it this morning before he left without realizing it.  He’s gone away for the weekend.”

“Without you?”

“He took his wife up to Bristol for her birthday.”

Mr. Latimer stopped moving for a moment, and she knew she had his attention.  Her goal was to find out how he felt about affairs without confronting him head-on or throwing herself at him.  “That’s a shame,” was all he said, tone carefully neutral, and she had to tread carefully.

“Not an ideal situation, but it is what it is,” she said airily.  “D’you know what’s wrong?”

Dusting off his hands Mr. Latimer stood, glancing over his shoulder on her.  “Looks like it’s blocked.  Might you have a plunger?”

“Closet.”  She didn’t move out of the doorway, forcing him to brush up against her on his way there and back.  “I’m so grateful you’re able to come out, I don’t know when he might have been back to take a look but I couldn’t wait.”

“Wives can be demanding.”  He wasn’t particularly chatty, which was making it hard to get a read on him.

Ellie nodded.  “It’s so hard for us to be together except here.  We can hardly stroll the High Street, can we? And there are few restaurants where we can be seen together.”

“How does he explain away his time?”

“Working late,” she scoffed.  “Which is true enough I suppose.”  She let out a tinkling laugh.  “I’m his secretary.  He works very hard during his late hours in the office, though not necessarily on company business.”

Mr. Latimer laughed at the implication, nodding approvingly.  “Yet I suspect he enjoys his work.”

“As do I.  I just wish we had somewhere to go like a regular couple, you see.  Somewhere we can have a meal I don’t have to cook, where we can be amongst others.  So much sneaking around makes me feel like a dirty little secret.”

He glanced over at her, watching her for a moment as he worked.  “You deserve something nice,” he said slowly, focusing back on his task.  “I may have a recommendation.”

“Oh?  Please do!  Somewhere nice, but not so nice his wife might expect to go?”

“There’s a little place about two miles out of town, it’s called ‘The Office’.  Quiet little restaurant, geared towards couples with… complications.  You won’t find it in a guidebook or anything of the kind, mostly by word of mouth.  The sort of place where if a wife knows about it, perhaps she’s keeping a ‘dirty little secret’ of her own.  I hear it’s nice.  Discreet.”

“Sounds lovely,” she gushed, eyes narrowing at his back.  “Where is it?”

“Two miles down the main road.  It’s called ‘The Office’ so when a curious wife asks where her husband’s been, he can give the name truthfully without giving anything away.”

“How clever!” Ellie tittered, as he finally pulled a wadded up hand towel from the toilet bowl.  “Oh my, how’d that get in there?”

Mr. Latimer stood, holding it away from him by the tips of his fingers.  “I fear this may be done for,” he apologized, “but I would not recommend keeping it, for cleanliness’ sake.”

“Thank you  _so_  much, you’ve no idea how helpful you’ve been.”  She gestured for it to be thrown into the tub, letting him wash his hands before leading him back towards the door.  “And I will take your dinner suggestion under advisement.  What do I owe you?”

“Complimentary call,” he turned at the door, giving her a charming smile.  “It was nothing.”

Elle gave him her brightest smile.  “Thank you again!”

She waved until he was out of sight, locking the door and drawing the curtains.  They had tentative confirmation that he had another woman, and where he took her.

Now what remained was when, and gathering the evidence needed.

* * *

Alec scowled, skulking just outside the bathroom window of his own offices to confirm Mark Latimer was suitably occupied before heading down the hill to the plumber’s truck.  Letting out a quiet ‘ha!’ of victory at finding the driver’s side door unlocked, he slid into the seat and looked around.

Unsurprisingly it was a cluttered mess, with scraps of paper and garbage littering the cab.  Deciding to start with the paper, he carefully nosed around.  Despite the chaos, he wanted to leave no clues that someone had been rifling through the van.  A peek through the glovebox produced a box of condoms, hardly a smoking gun but certainly suspicious.

Pulling out the box to note the brand, he found a business card rubber-banded to it.  It was for a restaurant called ‘The Office’, with directions printed on it.  A glance at the back found a handwritten note reading ‘ _Tuesdays, 5:00_ ’.

Perfect.

* * *

Slinking into the house doubling as their offices and Ellie’s ‘home’, Alec listened carefully.  The bathroom light was off, and he took the chance of creeping towards the sitting room to find Ellie at her desk, scribbling in a notebook.

“El.”

“He’s gone,” she promised, not looking up.  “Did you find anything?”

Straightening he strolled in, settling himself in the chair next to her.  “You could say that.  I only know where and when he meets her.  And that a faithful husband has no need of condoms in his work van.”

“The Office.”

“What?”

“Is it called ‘The Office’?” Ellie repeated, smirking at him as she leaned back in her chair.  “I already know that.”

Alec scowled, crossing his arms.  “Aye. Tuesdays, 5 o’clock.  Standing date, I think.”

“And you found condoms?”

He nodded, not pleased with her smug look.  “In the van.  He’s certainly guilty, it’s just a matter of ‘with whom’, and catching them in the act.”

“Rubbers don’t  _guarantee_  he’s guilty,” Ellie complained, “though the restaurant certainly implies it.”

“You don’t need them at work,” he protested.  “Why have them in the car?”

Ellie stood, demurely smoothing down her skirt and hair before settling crosswise on his lap.  “What, you think it impossible to feel physical desire during the work day?”

“I…”

She shook her head, laughing as he flailed.  “Oh, aren’t you precious.”

They kissed, and suddenly the idea didn’t seem to absurd.

* * *

Alec came with a shuddering groan, collapsing on top of her.  Ellie relaxed her legs, letting them fall to the side as she glided her nails down his spine, waiting for their hearts to calm.

After a minute he rolled off of her, tugging her along until they were on their sides face to face.  “That was nice,” he murmured, leaning forward to kiss her sweetly.  “What’d I do to deserve that?”

Ellie just hummed, hooking her thigh over his hip as they kissed lazily.  She kept one eye on the clock because they had a potential client appointment in just over an hour, but for now she was content to lull him into false security.

When she deemed him ready she slipped her hand between them, palm finding him easily and beginning to move.  Once his eyes fluttered closed, she moved in for the kill.  “Alec?”

“Yes darling?”

“I want a raise.”

After a moment he sighed, stilling her hand as he opened his eyes again.  “What?”

“I do half our cases on my own,” she said firmly, “and you just present to the client.  I don’t feel my salary reflects my value.”

Alec nudged her away, shifting up the bed to lean against the headboard.  “Ellie…”

“You know I’m worth more,” she prodded, “that half our reputation –  _your_  reputation – is because of my work.”

“I do know that, of course I know that.”  He ran his hand over his face then through his hair, ruffling the strands.  “Quite frankly we’re  _both_  worth more than we make.  If we were in London maybe we would.  But we settled in Broadchurch for a reason, and the situation is what it is.  I have our salaries –  _both_  of ours – calculated out of the leftover after all other expenses.  You know this, you’ve seen the books.”

“I still believe I deserve a bigger piece of the pie,” Ellie said firmly, sitting up as well and turning to face him.  Letting the sheet fall to her waist, she deliberately crossed her arms to accentuate her breasts, not above playing dirty.

His shoulders slumped, and he settled one palm on her closest knee.  “There’s also convention.  You already make twice what the next-highest paid woman in the town does.  It’s raising eyebrows.”

“Since when do you care what people think?” she scoffed.

“When it’s  _you_  they talk about.  I don’t appreciate the way they malign you, or the things they imply about us.”

Ellie’s eyes narrowed as he dropped eye contact.  “What sort of things?”

He set his jaw, staring at the opposite wall behind her head.  “They’re basically saying you earn your wages on your knees, rather than sitting at your desk.”

“Is that all?” she rolled her eyes, shifting to put her back against the headboard next to his and taking his hand.  “Actually, I’d probably do better if I charged you for sex and played secretary for free,” she mused, staring up at the ceiling thoughtfully.

“Stop it.”  Alec smiled reluctantly, squeezing her palm.  “My point is, I absolutely know your value.  But part of it – and mine – is our reputations.  Now, I’d be open to discussing other forms of compensation for your work, but cash is out of the question.”

He tugged her down on the mattress, shifting over her and pressing open-mouthed kisses to her skin.

“You could make dinner once a week,” she suggested, smiling when he nodded.  “And, let’s see, what else… you could clean the toilet here.”

His lips frowned against her skin, and he grumbled for a moment, before sighing.  “Aye, all right.”

“What else…” Ellie teased, wrapping her arms around his neck as his lips wandered.  “Mhmm, you know what would be really good?”

“Name it.”  He sucked a nipple into his mouth, cause her brain to short-circuit as she grunted.

“Unh.  Um… oh, I remember!”  And she pushed on his head until it was level with her hips, bending one knee to plant her foot flat on the bed, spread wide.  “We’ve got a potential client due in thirty and I’ll need to get dressed and put the kettle on before they get here, so hop to.”

Alec laughed, a carefree sound she only heard when they were alone, and kissed her thigh.  “As the lady wishes.”

* * *

Ellie hummed as she let herself into her house.  “I’m home!”

Backup was the first to greet her, and she bent down to accept his puppy kisses as she glanced into the sitting room to find her father glued to the telly set.

“Hi, Dad.”

David Thomas grunted, not looking away from the screen.  “What’s for tea?”

“Mummy, Mummy!”  Fred hurtled down the stairs, crashing into her legs and hugging them tightly.  “You’re home, you’re home!”

“Hello, Freddie,” she laughed, combing her fingers through his hair and holding him close.  “How are you?”

“Good!  Mummy, I’m hungry.”  Wide eyes stared up at her, and she barely refrained from rolling her own.

“Give me a few minutes.  Where is your brother?”

“In here.”  Tom’s voice echoed from the direction of the kitchen, making her eyebrows raise as she headed towards him.

He was pulling a roast out of the oven, the smell mouthwateringly good.

“ _What_  is this?”

Her son shrugged, not meeting her eye.  “You said you would be late today,” he mumbled, “and I thought you would be hungry.”

“I am.”  Joining him at the counter she took the carving tools, testing the meat and pleasantly surprised to find it finished.  “It looks wonderful, thank you darling.”

Tom flushed with pleasure at the praise, turning off the oven.  “Freddie already set the table, so we should just need drinks and then we’re good.”

“Wonderful.”  Kissing his cheek, she turned to her younger son.  “Fetch Granddad, will you?  Tell him tea’s done.”

He ran off in a whirlwind, leaving them alone.

“How did you know what to do?”

Shrugging, Tom carried the roasting pan to the dining room table.  “You had said what you planned on cooking, and I just… found the recipe.  I hope it’s alright.”

Ellie followed, absentmindedly fixing the place settings as she watched him.  “Thank you for taking the initiative, but what on Earth gave you the idea?”

“Alec.  Will they be here?”

“No, they’ve gone to Bristol, Daisy’s aunt is meeting them there tomorrow.  He gave you the idea?”

“He said… he said the world is changing.  That it’s important to help the ones we love, even if it’s by doing something we don’t want to.  That it’s unfair to expect you to do everything around the house when you work all day and we’re here, doing nothing.”

“Hogwash,” Ellie’s father blustered, trudging in.  “It’s the men’s job to work and bring home the pay, and the women’s job to make a home worth coming back to.  Men have no business doing meaningless housework, and women should not be taking good jobs from the menfolk.”

Ellie bit her lip hard to keep from snapping.  “Of course, Dad.”  It was pointless to argue with him, knowing nothing she said could change his mind.  Quietly, though, she muttered to Tom, “Don’t you dare listen to a word he just said.  You and the world at large would be much better served listening to a man like Alec.”

“I know,” he promised with a grin.

“Right, shall we say grace?” she asked once they were all seated, taking her sons’ hands and lifting them in prayer.

As Fred led the supplication, she stared at her own father.  She loved him, she did, but the idea of her sons growing up to be men just like him terrified her.

Closing her eyes, she thanked God for Alec.


	4. Chapter 3

Tuesday passed normally, if a bit slow.  Most of the morning appointments were delivering final reports and otherwise closing cases, making it a bit easier for them both to breathe and allowing them space to focus on ongoing investigations.

“Let’s not take so many on at one time again,” Ellie sighed, leaning back in her desk chair and closing her eyes.  It was only half three, but she was exhausted.  Their morning had started early with surveillance, and they’d been on the go all day.  “We can’t do our jobs properly if we don’t get a chance to sleep.”

Alec hummed in agreement, coming to stand behind her and rubbing her shoulders.  “I have an idea.”

“If it’s a shag you’re after, fine so long as you do all the work.”

“That wasn’t what I was thinking,” he chuckled, digging his thumbs into her neck until she moaned, tension releasing.  “Though tempting.   No.  Would you like to have dinner with me tonight?”

Ellie lit up for only a moment before realization dawned.  “You mean at ‘The Office’.”

Something in her tone made him pause, and he stepped away.  “Come here.” She let him lead her to the sofa, and they sank onto it side by side.  “What’s wrong?”

Shifting, she rested her head on his shoulder.  “I don’t know.”

“El.”

“I remember why I left,” Ellie blurted, staring unseeingly at the far wall.  “I know coming here was my idea, that you wanted London, and I’ve finally realized it’s because I wanted the people here to  _see_  me, as I am.  As  _you_  do.  Not as a housewife, or mother, or just… a woman.  I wanted the people I’ve known all my life to look at me and know that I’m smart, I’m capable.  I did important work during the war, what I did mattered.  It changed lives,  _saved_ lives.  I wanted them to know I’m capable of more than just taking messages and making tea.”

“You mean your father.”

“Yes.”  She sniffled, and he tenderly wiped the tears from her cheeks.

“Oh, darling.”  He kissed her head, pulling her tighter against him.  “I’d like to say he sees it, but we both know that’s a lie.  In some ways I miss the war, because it seemed for a moment the civilized world was taking notice of something I’ve always known – but he’s never going to change.  He’ll never see it, and I think it’s his loss.”

“Doesn’t mean I can’t wish,” Ellie said bitterly.

Alec smiled.  “D’you want to know what I think?  The best way to change the world is by example.  By doing it as it should be done, and hoping others will recognize the truth of it.  You won’t change his mind. But you-  _we_ \- can raise our children to be better.  I see your influence in Daisy every day, and it makes me terribly proud.  The best we can hope for is that others will learn from their example.  There are plenty of attitudes that will never be corrected, but some just need to see it in action.”

“Did I tell you Tom cooked on Friday?” she murmured, pressing her cheek against his chest and listening to his heartbeat.  “He said you inspired him.”

“See?”  He tried to modulate his tone, but his smugness was still borderline unbearable.  “That’s how we change the world, Ellie.  By raising our standards.  Not everyone, but enough will rise to meet them.  In turn, they will demand better of others.”

Shaking her head fondly, she pressed her lips to his chest through his shirt.  “Shut up.  I just- I think, for some reason, this particular case is getting to me.  I feel like I’m no better than the stereotypical assistant-slash-mistress.”

“For one, there’s no denying that despite appearances, you are most certainly the boss,” Alec teased, “and besides, you and I both know the truth of our relationship.  Who cares what the rest think?”

“You, whenever I ask for a raise.”

Rolling his eyes he checked his watch, before nudging her up with a groan.  “Now, let me buy you dinner,  _mon sale petit secret_.”

“Please never speak French to me again,” Ellie laughed, checking her reflection in the mirror and refreshing her lipstick.

“What’s wrong with my French?” he protested, pressing himself against her back as he fluffed his hair.

“You’re not very good at it.”

He pouted at her in the mirror.  “Am too.”

“Say something else then, because I’m certainly not convinced.”

Alec wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her flush against him as he pressed kisses to her cheek and made her giggle.  “All right, uh… ah!   _Voulez-vous coucher avec moi, ce soir_?”

“Alec Hardy!” she gasped playfully, elbowing him.  “How scandalous!”

“I saw it in the paper recently, it’s a line in a new show by some American playwright.”

“What’s it called?”

He blew a raspberry against her neck.  “ _A Streetcar Named Desire_.  It’s due to open in London next October.  Set it New Orleans.”

“You can take me for my birthday, then.  For now, however, I believe you promised me dinner?”

“You didn’t answer my question though,” Alec pointed out, helping her into her jacket before putting on his own.

Ellie threw him a coy smile on her way past.  “ _Peut-etre_.”

* * *

 

They had a devil of a time finding the place, Alec complaining all the way in.

“Why’s it so hard to find?  Do they not want any customers?  No signage, a dirt lane – it’s like they’re begging to be out of business.”

Ellie linked her elbow with his, rolling her eyes.  “It’s  _supposed_  to be underground.  The point is to have a safe place to take your mistress.  Remember?”

“Still.”  He opened the door for her, and they walked inside.

From the door, all that could be seen was a vestibule and coatroom.  A doorway leading to the rest of the restaurant was hidden behind a sheer curtain while an expectant maître d’ waited at his stand.  Sliding his arm around her waist, Alec led Ellie there.

“Table for two, please.”

“May I ask how you heard of us?”  His tone and smile were suitably deferential, with an undercurrent of suspicion and cautiousness.

Ellie grinned widely.  “Mark Latimer recommended it.”

The maître d’ snapped his fingers, and a waiter appeared almost out of thin air.  After a moment’s whisper, the waiter vanished behind the screen.

“One moment, please,” the maître d’ said, and no sooner had he than the waiter returned with a nod.  “Please, follow Joseph.”

They followed him through the curtain into the restaurant proper.  It was small, maybe a dozen tables, undeniably romantic and cozy.  Each table was small, set for two, with a single rose in a vase and a tealight.  The lighting was dim, giving the illusion of privacy, and the tables were arranged around a dance floor.  A small stage tucked in the corner sported a string quartet playing softly.

Half the tables were occupied, and they were seated at one near the window, away from the other couples.

“This is nice,” Ellie smiled, opening her menu.  “We don’t go out often.”

“Aye.”  Alec was too busy scanning the room over the top of his own menu.  “D’you see him?”

“No.  Quit being so suspicious.”  Leaning back in her chair and crossing her legs at the knee, she took stock without seemingly looking up.  “What are you ordering?”

“What, so you can steal half?”

“Obviously.”

They settled in at the table, ordering from the waiter before making innocuous small talk.  The room slowly filled, the last empty table happening to be right next to them and being seated just as their entrees were served.

Ellie glanced up out of habit before doing a double-take, kicking her partner under the table.

“What?” he looked up from his steak with a frown, before catching on.

“Oh, hello.”  To say Mark Latimer was surprised to see her was an understatement, but after a moment he relaxed.

“Hello!  Thank you for the recommendation, this is lovely,” Ellie gushed, smiling brightly.  “Didn’t expect to actually see you here though!”

“Hello, I’m Becca,” his date said, and Ellie took the opportunity to examine her.  Early thirties, blonde, and a hint of an Australian accent.

“Ellie, this is Alec.”

He waved awkwardly, taking a large bite of his steak to avoid the need to speak.

“So how long have you known each other?” Becca asked, ignoring her menu in favor of watching them.

“Three years,” Alec mumbled just as Ellie said, “Five.”  They stared at each other across the table for a moment, each arching an eyebrow at each other.

“We  _met_  five years ago but have been together for three,” she explained.  “I’m his secretary.  What about you?”

The other table’s waiter appeared then, and Becca waited until they’d ordered and he’d left to reply, shaking out her napkin and settling it across her lap.  “I work the front desk at Trader’s, the hotel in town.  We met six months ago when we had a toilet clog.”

“Oh?”  Ellie hoped her tone was suitably inviting, face open and eager, and the other woman delivered.

“Oh, yes.  It’s quite a shame, but the hotel’s had  _quite_  a few plumbing issues since.  He must be there once, twice a week.”  She tittered, and Ellie laughed along.

“How clever!”

“Bec has access to all the rooms, and is kind enough to wait with me while I fix the issue,” Mr. Latimer winked.

Alec chuckled in agreement, wiping his mouth.  “Aye.  This one’s a true professional, devoted to her work.  No matter how late we’re in the office, she’s right at my side.  Attached at the hip, you might say.”

They all laughed, pausing for a moment as the other table’s meals were delivered.

“So, what do you do?” Mr. Latimer asked, and Alec paused only a moment.

“Doctor.  In the next town over.”

Ellie hid a snort by taking a long drink of her wine, praying no medical emergencies arose.  Having served he was experienced enough in basic first aid, they both were, but anything more serious than a nick with a knife would prove him for a fraud.  It would be just their luck for one of the old men in the room to have a heart attack or some such crisis.

The two couples chatted all through dinner, and well after.  Ellie was almost disappointed that Mark Latimer was a lying, cheating bastard – she  _liked_  this couple, enjoyed talking to them.  Yet the entire time she couldn’t get the image of his toddler daughter out of her mind, could see little Lizzie playing happily, unaware of the drama brewing in her home.

Eventually, though, Mr. Latimer himself pushed away from the table.  “It has been a pleasure, but I think it’s time for me to return you home, my dear.”

“Yes, I must be getting home as well,” Ellie said graciously, equally unsurprised and certain that there would be a detour before Becca made it home.  As the night had dragged on he’d given his mistress longer, steamier glances until the point where she wondered if they would be satisfying urges in the carpark without even leaving the restaurant.

“Good night!”

“Good night.”

They watched the other couple leave hand in hand, Alec waiting until they’d disappeared through the curtain to drain his coffee cup.  “Shall we?”

“Let’s.”

* * *

 

Alec drove with the lights off, keeping just far enough behind Mr. Latimer’s car to avoid detection.  Their mark had driven out of the parking lot like a bat out of hell, and they were now following them back to Broadchurch.

“What if they go to Trader’s?” Ellie mused, as she scribbled down notes about the meal and everything the other couple had said.  “We could hardly follow them into the room.”

“Not interested in swinging?” he deadpanned, throwing her a smirk.  “Probably for the best, I don’t think they’d be interested in anything other than each other.”

“Don’t even suggest that!”

Alec laughed.  “Did you notice she had her foot in his lap nearly the whole meal?  Or how closely he kept her in front of him?  No, I suspect he’ll pull into the first empty lot he can find and have her in his lap before you can say ‘bob’s your uncle’.”

“Be serious.”

“I am!  He’s in a personal car not his work truck, it would be highly suspicious if he were at the hotel.  They’ll find somewhere abandoned, we just need to hope it’s somewhere we can watch without being spotted.”

Ellie huffed.  “I know what you  _mean_ , but that sounds terrible.”

The car ahead pulled into a lot then, and she realized they were near the coast, overlooking the cliffs and about a mile up from the center of town.  The road dead-ended at the lot, and Alec pulled into a ditch just before the lot proper, keeping out of sight.

“Right, let’s go.”

“Hang on,” she whispered, tugging him back until their lips met in a firm kiss.  “Right.  Good luck.”

And they exited the car, sneaking towards the lot with their cameras at the ready.


	5. Chapter 4

Alec pulled into the drive and put the car in park, leaving the engine running.

“Not coming in?”

He shook his head.  “No, I’ll go into the office and develop the pictures.  Better to know as soon as possible if they’re good enough, otherwise we need to regroup.”

“I’m sure they’re good enough,” Ellie scoffed.  “I saw far more of Mr. Latimer than anyone needs to.”

“Agreed,” he grimaced.  “There’s certainly no mistaking their relationship.”

She sighed, resting her head on his shoulder.  “I told you I ran into his wife on the beach the day after we took the case, didn’t I?  I can’t stop thinking about her little girl.  I don’t understand men who are willing to destroy their children’s lives for… for a bit of pleasure.”

Alec hummed in consideration.  “To be fair, that particular act she was performing is more than a ‘bit’ of pleasure.  Objectively speaking, of course.”

Ellie raised her head to scowl at him.  “He’s a married man,” she said firmly.  “I don’t care.  If your wife’s not giving you what you want, perhaps there’s a reason and there’s something she needs from you first.  Sort that out, instead of breaking her heart and humiliating her.”

“I know.”  He draped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer and kissing the side of her head.  “I don’t understand it either.”

“Did Tess know?”

Alec tensed.  “Did she know _what_?”

“That you knew about her affair.”

He let out a heavy breath, staring out the windshield at the garage.  “No.  By then… by the time she moved to London for the war effort, our marriage was essentially over.  I don’t think she had anyone in Sandbrook, but honestly I don’t know.  We were living separate lives.  Even when she’d come to visit Daisy… she had her secrets because of her work, and I had mine.  I saw… no point in confronting her.  If he made her happy, whoever he was, well… good.  She deserved a bright spot.”

Ellie turned her head, pressing her lips to his jaw as they sat in silence.

“What about Joe?”

“What _about_ Joe?”

Alec huffed.  “Did he know you knew?”

“No.  And I’m not sure it would have mattered.”  She paused to breathe in his scent.  After a long day working, all of the products he used had faded away to leave behind just him, and it was more intoxicating than the bottle of wine they’d shared at dinner.  “Sure you don’t want to just develop them tomorrow?”

Alec shifted, cupping her cheek with his hand and rubbing his thumb along the apple.  “El…”

Fisting his shirt she pulled him to her, their mouths meeting in the middle.  Lips and tongues moved against each other, neither giving an inch.  Ellie was half in his lap, his hand between her knees, when the light over the front door flickered deliberately.

“Shit,” she gasped, wrenching away from him to pant, not missing how his gaze flickered to her heaving chest.  “I suppose I should…”

“Mhmm.”  Alec kissed her again, making her whine when he pulled back.  “Or you could just come to the office with me and we can sleep once the pictures are done.”

“No, no, no,” she shook her head, curls bouncing.  “I know how _that_ goes.  We shag on the carpet in front of the doors, pass out on the couch under a blanket, and wake five minutes before the first appointment of the day.  No pictures get developed, and one of us has terrible rug burn for the next forty-eight hours.  No.”

“Actually, I was just going to press you against the sliding doors and lift your skirt,” he teased, lightly scraping his nails along the inside of her thigh.

Ellie threw her head back, laughing.  “And who’s cleaning those smudges?  Certainly not something we’d want clients seeing.  Remember the time we forgot you had the exterior painted, and had to convince the police it must have been teenagers who left the imprint?  I couldn’t look Craig in the eye for a month after that!”

“That was a bloody brilliant birthday.”  Alec smirked, eyes sparkling in the dim moonlight.  “One for the history books.”

“Stop it.”  She swatted at him, relaxing against the door at her back.  “You’re shameless.”

His fingers wormed their way further up between her thighs, rubbing lightly once they found her knickers.  “You know you want to.”

Ellie kissed him, sucking deliberately at his tongue until he was fully hard beneath her, his hips rocking up against her.  Pulling back, she took in the image he made, head thrown back in pleasure as he panted, eyes squeezed shut.

“Good night, darling.”

He protested as she wriggled free of his grasp, almost falling out of the car as she straightened her skirt.  “Ellie!”

Fetching her purse and settling it over her arm, she checked her reflection in the side mirror before moving around the outside of the car, stopping at his window as he rolled the glass down.  “You have work to do, and don’t need me distracting you.  I need my beauty sleep, and to see the kids off in the morning.  Heaven knows Dad won’t.”

“You’re a tease,” he accused, beckoning her down for a kiss.  “Leaving me like this.”

She pecked his lips, smiling against them.  “Be good and do your work, and maybe if you’re lucky I’ll be able to find time to fall to my knees and beg forgiveness.”

Alec buried one hand in her hair, plundering her mouth for long moments before whispering, “We both know you won’t be the one begging.”

“As it should be.  Good night.”

“Good night, my love.”

She reluctantly freed herself from his grasp, glancing over her shoulder several times on her trek to the front door.  Pausing, one hand on the doorknob, she turned to see him watching her.  Blowing him a kiss she let herself in, humming all the way up to her bedroom.

* * *

Ellie let herself into the office early the next morning, smiling to herself when she found Alec fast asleep on the couch, glasses askew and pictures falling out of an open folder.  Easing the door shut she left the curtain open, setting her things by the desk and starting the kettle.

He still wasn’t awake by the time the tea was ready, and she crouched down in front of him, watching him sleep.  He looked so peaceful, at rest, she hated to disturb him even as she combed her fingers gently through his hair.  Alec was a good man, a _kind_ man, one of whom life had taken advantage.  As a result he kept himself hidden behind a brusque exterior, letting few people in.

She was proud to be one of those few.

“Mhmm.”  Stirring, his eyes opened for only a moment before fluttering shut, face turning to press against her palm.  “Hi.”

“Hi.”  She shivered at his gravelly burr; first thing in the morning was when his accent was deepest, and it never failed to arouse her.  “Sleep well?”

Alec yawned, nodding slightly.  “Aye, I suppose.  Would’ve been better with you next to me.”

Ellie leaned forward, kissing him gently.  Their mouths met once, twice, three times, before he freed his arm from the blanket and wrapped it around her waist, pulling her across his body.

“Oh, hello,” she laughed, landing on top of him as the kiss broke, moving until she was between him and the back of the sofa.

He didn’t reply, merely shifting her more under him as he kissed her with intent.  She complied easily enough, letting his hands roam and getting lost in his touch and kiss.  The effect he had on her had yet to diminish after three years, and she hoped it never would even as she remembered their first appointment was due in an hour.

“Alec,” she whispered, breaking the kiss, and he merely grunted in response, lips moving to the curve of her neck as he hitched her thigh around his hips.  “Love, Mrs. Evans’ll be here in an hour.”

“I can work with that.”

Rolling her eyes, she settled her hands against his chest but couldn’t quite bring herself to push him away.  “Is the official report finished?  Have you developed the Latimer photographs?”

“Aye, to both.  Now shush, or I’ll find a better use for your mouth,” Alec rasped, rocking his hips against hers.

“You’re such a charmer.  Who could say no to that?” she asked rhetorically, even as she surrendered and reached for his trouser zip.

After all, this was why she’d woken him in the first place.

* * *

Mrs. Latimer was due at half two, and Ellie fussed around straightening up as they waited.  Their offices were really a sea-side house, halfway up the hill to the cliffs just south of Broadchurch.  It was a quaint little building, with the sitting room where they held most meetings overlooking the ocean.  Sliding glass doors separated them from the water, providing a gorgeous view that she loved and he hated.

The kitchen was just off the sitting room, empty but for tea-making supplies, biscuits, and other miscellaneous items so they didn’t starve during the day.  A curtain cut off the two rooms from the rest of the bungalow, behind which was the loo and two bedrooms.  One was set up as a private office, containing the safe with all of their paperwork and valuable tools.  The other functioned as a bedroom, ready in case a client or friend needed somewhere to stay, though usually used by them for an afternoon delight between meetings.

Ellie tidied the room just in case Mrs. Latimer couldn’t face going home, changing out the sheets and throwing open the windows, letting it air out.

“El!” Alec called, and giving the pillows a final plump, she hurried back to the sitting room.

“Yes?”

He was standing in front of the mirror over the couch, scowling at his reflection.  An undone tie hung around his neck, and he turned to her as she entered.  “I can’t get this bloody thing to cooperate.  Can you?”

Laughing softly she stepped up against him, unsurprised when his hands flew to her hips.  Adjusting the fabric around his neck, she began to tie it with confidence.  “I must say, you’ve been fairly randy lately.  Not to complain, quite the opposite, just… surprising.”

Alec shrugged his shoulders, fingers squeezing at her hips.  “Business is going well, and you become more beautiful every day.”

“Oh do I?”

“You’re happy,” he said simply.  “Despite your father’s… existence in our lives, otherwise, you’re _happy_.  It shows.  You care about our work as much as I do, and you’ve relaxed into life here.  When we first arrived you were tense and anxious, and I know we both worried the war wasn’t truly over, but it’s been three years.  This is home now.”

Ellie’s lips twitched, resting her hands on his chest as she looked up at him.  “You consider Broadchurch home?  Have I hit my head?  Is this a dream?”

“I consider _you_ home.  Scotland, London, BP… makes no difference.”

“I love you too.”  Rising up on tiptoe she kissed him sweetly, teasing him by drawing her tongue across his lips but backing away when he opened them.  “Now, be professional, darling.  A client is due.”

No sooner had she stepped away than the tiny bell by the back door rang; it was their alarm that someone had opened the gate at the foot of the hill and was starting up the path to the house.  Giving him a superior smile, she sidetracked to the kitchen to start the kettle before going to the sliding doors.

Mrs. Latimer met her there on the other side, giving her a weak smile as Ellie opened the door.  “Hello.  Apologies if I’m late, I had to wait for my daughter to return home to watch the younger two.”

“Not at all, not at all, perfectly on time,” Ellie assured her, guiding her in to sit on the couch.  “Tea’ll be ready in just a moment, make I take your coat?”

Alec appeared from behind the curtain then, holding the Latimer case file; he liked to make an entrance after the client was seated, not wanting to appear as though he’d been waiting.   _A busy agency is more likely to get business, Ellie, because if you can meet the client’s needs immediately, they’ll wonder why._

“Mrs. Latimer, thank you for joining us,” he said brusquely, settling into his armchair across from her.  “We have concluded our investigation.  Is there anything you’d like to say or feel we should know before we continue?”

“Um, no?”  Mrs. Latimer looked to Ellie in concern as she handed the woman her tea.

Ellie settled beside her, smiling reassuringly.  “That’s all right, it’s just that sometimes at the moment of truth people decide they’d rather not know.  If so, now’s the time to say.”

Mrs. Latimer stared down into her teacup, visibly pulling herself together before looking up at Alec and nodding.  “Tell me.”

“Yes,” he said simply, “I’m sorry to report that beyond a shadow of a doubt, your husband is having an affair.”

They remained silent as Mrs. Latimer’s eyes slid shut, head hanging.  Ellie’s heart went out to her; she remembered that moment, when she knew for certain that Joe was having an affair while purportedly working in London as a medic.  Mrs. Latimer was taking it much better than she had; she’d trashed Alec’s office, though he’d been ‘Mr. Hardy’ to her then.  Then she’d broken down in tears, huddled in the far corner as he crouched in front of her, helpless.

Ironically, that was the day they’d become friends.

Mrs. Latimer didn’t cry; she didn’t scream, or sob, or break down, though Ellie suspected that would come in time.  She went numb, eyes dead as she finally met Alec’s gaze again.

“Who is she?”

Alec handed her a picture of Becca; it was a solitary shot, nothing scandalous, but a clear profile.

Mrs. Latimer took it with trembling hands, eyes widening after a long moment.  “This is Becca Fisher.”

“Pardon?”

“Becca Fisher, she runs Traders,” she repeated, hand coming up to cover her mouth.  “Someone from the hotel calls once, twice a week about a leak.  I thought the building was just finally done for, but it’s not, is it?  It’s a fake, so he can go there and _fuck_ her!”

Ellie winced, exchanging glances with Alec.  They’d expected her not to know the woman; this was a complication.  Once she left Alec would have to call Craig, his contact on the police force, and warn him.  “I understand you're hurt,” she said carefully, “I do, truly, but you can’t let this define you.”

“I’m leaving him,” Mrs. Latimer said quietly, still staring at the picture.  “I don’t care what shame it brings me, or what my children think – but I can _not_ spend one more night sharing a bed with that man.”

“I understand,” Ellie repeated.  “If you’d prefer, once you have a divorce lawyer we can forward the evidence we obtained directly to him.  We also have some recommendations if you’d like, though you would be under no obligation.”

“Can I have a moment?” Mrs. Latimer sniffled, staring down at the picture.  “And I’d… I would like to see the others.”

After a moment Alec nodded, passing over the closed folder.  The risk was minimal; he already had two separate copies developed and stored elsewhere, with the negatives somewhere safe.

“We’ll be in the kitchen.”

* * *

Ellie slid the door almost entirely closed, sighing heavily as she stepped forward into Alec’s arms.  “This is the part I hate.”

“I know.”  He pressed his lips to her forehead, holding her tightly against him.  “Me as well.  It never gets easier, delivering this blow.  Though I suspect no one will beat your reaction.”

“I said I was sorry,” she grumbled, “and you’re the one who told me where you did.  Should’ve taken me to an empty room or something.”

“How was I supposed to know you’d trash the place?” he protested, squeezing her.  “I’d never seen such rage or fire in you before that.  All I’d known was meek Mrs. Miller, with naught but a kind word and smile for all she met.  I had no idea of the woman hiding beneath that.”

“Flatterer.”  Ellie pulled back with a smile, shaking her head.  “And yet you fell in love with me anyway.”

“Aye.  I’ve always been a bit of an idiot, though, to be fair.”

She snickered, before an odd sound from the other room caught her attention.  “What was that?”

“What?”

They separated, and Ellie slid open the door to reveal an empty sitting room, the sliding glass door leading outside wide open, the sea breeze ruffling the curtains.

“Aw, shit.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The fifth and final chapter of this first installment in the series will be posted on May 12th.
> 
> Thank you for reading!


	6. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The final chapter.

They raced for the car, Ellie beating him there and climbing into the driver’s seat.  “Come on!”

“Where do you think she went?” he asked rhetorically.  “She could’ve gone for a walk.”

“Car was gone.  I know where she’s headed.”  She peeled out onto the road, speeding through town to the High Street where Trader’s was situated.

Alec glanced at her in confusion.  “You think she went to confront Becca?”

“Without a doubt.  If Mark’s there I’m sure he’ll get an earful, but she’ll blame the mistress.”

Pulling into the lot at the hotel she ran towards the front entrance, Alec's long legs easily outpacing her.  Even as she opened the door the sound of glass smashing was audible.  He pushed in front of her as they entered, throwing an arm out to keep her behind him.

A tiny bar sat just off the main lobby, and this was where Mrs. Latimer was trashing the place.  “He’s my  _husband_!” she yelled, throwing another wine glass at the floor.  Becca Fisher was cowering in the corner with the local reverend, and the irate wife had made quite a mess for having only a minute or two’s head start.

“What the hell’s going on here?” Mark Latimer burst into the room, not paying Alec and Ellie any attention as he caught sight of his wife.  Going stock still for only a moment, he moved forward carefully as one would approach a wounded wild animal.  “Beth?  What’re you doing?”

“You!  You  _bastard_!”  She threw a brandy snifter at his head, which he ducked easily.  “How  _could_  you?  How could you do this to me!  To our children!  You selfish, arrogant, brute of a wanker!”  Out of glasses to throw Mrs. Latimer sagged to her knees, tears running down her cheeks.  “I  _loved_  you.  Why wasn’t I enough?”

“Oh, Beth.”  Still moving slowly he crouched in front of her, resting his hand on her back for only a moment before she shrugged it off.  “Sweetheart-”

“Don’t.”  Her head snapped up, righteous fury burning in her gaze.  “Don’t you  _dare_.  You’ve made a fool of me!”

“You’re making a fool of  _yourself_ ,” Becca ventured, untwisting from where she huddled in the debris.  “You’re the one throwing a fit in a public space.”

Mrs. Latimer let out a primal scream, turning as she rose and lunged at the other woman.  Her husband caught her round the waist and held her back, even as she tried to kick and flail her way free.

“How’d you even know?”

“I hired a detective to follow you,” she snarled.

Mr. Latimer and Becca’s eyes met before they both slowly turned to look at Alec and Ellie lingering in the doorway, Ellie waving sheepishly when they were spotted.

“Mrs. Latimer, please?” Alec spoke quietly, gesturing.  “Can you join us in the other room?”

Sniffling the woman nodded, shaking free of her husband’s grip and taking a moment to straighten her skirt and spine, holding her head high as she stepped carefully around the glass.  As soon as she was near enough Ellie wrapped her arm around her shoulders, guiding her across the lobby to the library.

* * *

Once they were in Alec shut the doors, affording them a semblance of privacy as the women sat on the loveseat together.

“I’m so glad you took that well,” Ellie started conversationally, “I was worried you might fly off the handle.”

That earned her a laugh and a sniffle, as Mrs. Latimer wiped her eyes.  “I was overcome with rage.”

“I understand, but you realize why this was a terrible idea, no?”  Alec settled on the coffee table in front of the women, sighing softly.  “I assure you, we both are intimately familiar with the pain you’re feeling right now.  But the best thing you can do, for yourself and your children, is pull it together.  If you’re going to leave him, do it.  If not, find a way past this, but know that if he did it once he’ll do it again.”

“How did you find out?”  The grieving woman looked up from where she stared at her hands.  “I mean, you didn’t give me many details.  What- How long-”

Ellie patted her forearm reassuringly.  “We found out where and when they would meet, and put ourselves in their path.  Obviously they didn’t know who we were, and were quite willing to share a number of personal details.  After, we followed them to the bluff where we took the photos.”

“What did you do?”  Mrs. Latimer turned to Ellie, eyes pleading.

“How do you mean?”

“I presume your husband- well, he said-”

Ellie swallowed harshly; though the pain had faded, the memory still ached.  “Yes.  He was working in London during the war as a medic, and… found comfort in someone else while there.”

“What did you do?  How did you find out?”

The memory flashed before her eyes as if it had only been the day before.  “Alec- I was his secretary then as well, though we were both part of the war effort- had business in London.  While there, he spotted Joe kissing another woman.  It was, in his words, undeniable.  Came home, told me.  I wrecked his office, so I understand your need to take it out on the glassware.”

“Did you confront him?”

Ellie shook her head, smiling sadly.  “No. I planned to, on his next visit home, but he was killed in a bombing before he could.  It took time, but eventually I saw it as the blessing it was – he had someone to care for him in his last weeks.  I never found out who she was, and I wouldn’t say I’d thank her, but… I think any happiness stolen in the midst of the Blitz is a good thing.”

“You’re a better woman than I am,” Mrs. Latimer sighed, staring down at her wedding rings again.  “I just want to claw her eyes out.”

“Obviously.  But cooler heads must prevail; you want to give them no cause to use against you in the divorce proceedings.”

The other woman slumped back on the sofa, unseeing eyes focused on the ceiling.  “I suppose.  Erm, can I stop by your offices later this week to settle the bill?  The next few days may be hectic, I suspect.”

“Take until Monday next,” Alec agreed, rising.  “We will have everything fully prepared for your lawyer; if you hire one in the meantime, give him our name so as to coordinate the handover of the evidence.”

“Thank you.”  Mrs. Latimer climbed to her feet, looking tired, though the fire that had been lit in her by rage still sparked beneath the surface.  “Truly.”

“Good luck.”  On impulse Ellie gave her a hug that was happily reciprocated, even as Alec let out a heavy sigh behind them.

Letting go Ellie moved towards the door to the room, Alec a step behind her with his hand on the small of her back.  Sweeping the door open she found Mr. Latimer and Becca loitering in the hall.

“Well?” the man snapped, glaring between them.  “What nonsense have you put in her head?”

Alec drew himself to his full height, and despite his slim frame still cut an imposing figure.  “Nothing but the truth. I suggest you speak to your wife.”

* * *

They exited the inn without incident, though this time he settled behind the wheel, Ellie curled up to his side as he drove back to the office.

“Don’t bother,” she said once they were on the road, smirking slightly up at his frown.  “I liked her, and she needed a hug.”

“ _Every_  time Ellie!  They’re clients, not friends,” he complained, even as he wrapped his left arm around her shoulder.  “Stop treating them as such.”

Ellie blew a raspberry, earning herself a scowl.  “I shall if I want to.  Our differences in approach, that’s what makes us a good team, or so you say.  Well, a team when it doesn’t come to my salary.”

His unimpressed look made her giggle and press her lips to his cheeks.

“Anyway-” he changed the subject abruptly, only to further amuse her, “I made the reservations for this weekend.  Three nights in the Cotswolds.”

“What’d you do that for?”

He glanced down at her, raising an eyebrow before beginning to laugh.  “You forgot.”

“No I didn’t!” she protested, though it rang hollow as she had, indeed, forgotten.  “But tell me anyway.”

“El…”

“It’s not a birthday,” Ellie scrunched her nose in thought as he parked the car in their designated spot, following him out the driver’s side door.

“No, it’s not,” he agreed, shaking his head as they headed up the path arm in arm.  “Another year or two of you forgetting this and my feelings’ll start to be hurt.”

Eyes widening in horror she stopped dead in front of the sliding door, remaining there after he opened them.

“D’you remember now?”

His irritatingly smug expression made her whack the back of her hand at his stomach, finally entering the office.  “Sod off.”

“We can’t even do  _this_  right,” Alec chuckled, tugging her with him as he walked backwards towards the bedroom.  “Aren’t I the one meant to forget every year?”

“Oh, I’m grateful you don’t,” she reassured him, “Joe certainly did enough.  I am sorry, though.  I can’t believe it’s been three years.”

They collided in front of the bed, and he dipped his head to hers as his fingers reached for the buttons on her shirt.  The kisses remained soft and gentle as they undressed each other, only deepening once they sank to the mattress together.

“I love you, Alec Hardy,” Ellie whispered, smoothing his fringe out of his face as he hovered above her.

He lowered himself to her, and they let out twin sighs of delight as they were pressed together from head to toe, warm flesh meeting and melding effortlessly.  Kissing her he slipped his tongue between her lips even as he entered her body, nuzzling her nose with his once he was fully seated inside her.

“I love you too, Ellie Hardy.  Happy wedding anniversary.”

“To many more,” she smiled, wrapping her limbs around him as he began to move.

To outsiders they made a strange pair, too dissimilar to make a happy marriage, but when commented on Ellie would just shrug and grin.

“ _C’est une_ _affaire de coeur_.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for joining me on this journey - I’ve so enjoyed this little story! Never fear though - this is only the first story in a planned series set in this universe under the umbrella ‘Hardy Investigations’. Story #2 eta: 2020.


End file.
